PROVO — A father charged with the death of his young son will enter a plea in March.
Jason Putnam, 23, appeared in 4th District Court Tuesday on what was slated as a pre-trial conference.
However, his attorney, Gunda Jarvis, asked Judge Steven Hansen for a hearing in March where they could enter a plea.
He will be in court again March 12 at 9 a.m.
Putnam is charged with aggravated murder for the death of 20-month-old Jordan Putnam on June 12. That charge carries the possibility of the death penalty.
Police say Putnam called 911 to report his son wasn't breathing. Police took the child to the hospital, but doctors later determined that the internal bruising, ruptured spleen and fractured skull were not consistent with Putnam's story about the child falling off the bed.
Putnam later told police he had punished, squeezed and hit his son because he was crying and he wanted him to toughen up and be a man, according to court documents.